The invention can be used on board of a bale forming apparatus. A bale forming apparatus for agricultural or recycling purposes injects loose material into a drum-shaped bale forming chamber and forms under pressure from the injected loose material in the bale forming chamber a round-cylindrical bale. Such an apparatus is also called a round baler. Before ejecting the bale at least the circumferential bale surface must be wrapped into a web of wrapping material (a net or plastic sheet, e.g.). Otherwise the bale would fall apart after being ejected.
For wrapping the bale the web of wrapping material is taken from a supply reel with wrapping material. The web is injected into the bale forming chamber and is clamped by the rotated bale to be wrapped and by a bale forming means surrounding the bale forming chamber. The clamped wrap is pulled from the supply reel. The supply reel is held by an unrolling station while the bale is formed and while the web is pulled from the unrolling station.
After wrapping several bales the supply reel will get empty. An empty supply reel in the unrolling station has to be replaced with a new one. In general the human operator performs this replacement. The problem occurs that a full supply reel has to be placed in the unrolling station in a proper operating position in which wrapping material can be pulled from it and that the full supply reel may have a weight of several dozen kilograms. Often this replacement is performed outside of a workshop, e.g. on an agricultural field, such that no lifting device is available. Therefore a human operator has to manually move and adjust the new supply reel. Several suggestions for loading devices which support the human operator in moving the new supply reel to the unloading device were made.
EP 0865721 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,307 disclose a round baler which injects a web (Mantelbahn 5) through a nip (Einlassspalt) into a bale forming chamber (Pressraum 2), cf. FIG. 1. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show one embodiment how a new supply reel with wrapping material (Ersatzrolle 14′) is supplied to an unrolling station. The new supply reel 14′ is placed and temporarily fixed on a trough (Rinne 12′) by means of two connecting members in the form of straps (Bandagen 15′, 16′). The trough 12′ with the supply reel 14′ can be rotated around a vertical lateral axle 9′ and around a horizontal axis 21 parallel to the travelling direction. A piston-cylinder unit (Kolbenzylindereinheit 23) is connected with the axle 9′ and with the trough 12′ and can rotate the trough 12′ from a sloping position (continuous lines) into an approximately horizontal position (dotted lines, cf. FIG. 3). The new supply reel 12 rests on rollers (Rollen 26, 27) mounted in the bottom of the trough 12′ and can be shifted over these rollers 26, 27 towards the unloading device (Abrollstation AS).
FIG. 5 of EP 1602269 B1 shows an round baler with an unrolling station (Abrollstation 89) and with a loading device for a reserve supply reel (Vorrats-Materialbahnrolle 88), cf. par. [0027]. The reserve supply reel 88 rests on a trough (Lademulde 92). This trough 92 carrying the supply reel 88 can be pivoted around a vertical axis 90 and a horizontal axis 91. A bottom conveyer 93 can shift the supply reel 88 in a horizontal direction. In addition a piston-cylinder device (Hydrozylinder 98) can pivot the trough 92 from a sloping position (dotted lines) into a horizontal position (continuous lines).
EP 1602270 B1 discloses a round baler with an unrolling station (Abrollstation 16) and with a supply station (Vorratsstation 21), each carrying a supply reel with wrapping material. For wrapping a bale in the pressing chamber a web of wrapping material is pulled from the reel kept in the unrolling station 16. If this active reel is empty, it is replaced by a new reel 22 stored in the supply station 21. The new reel 22 is inserted from the side into a pivotal loading device (Ladeeinrichtung 30). This loading device 30 with the new reel 22 is pivoted towards the unrolling station 16.
EP 1121850 B1 and EP 1129611 B1 disclose a round baler with an unrolling station (Abrollstation 13) for a wrapping material reel (Materialbahnrolle 14). A loading device (Ladeeinrichtung 18) comprises a frame and carries a new reel 14. This loading device 18 is moved to the baler. In one embodiment the loading device 18 has wheels. A human operator pulls the loading device 18 like a trolley over ground. The loading device 18 is laterally inserted by shifting it onto guiding elements (Führungen 19). These guiding elements 19 guide the loading device 18 in a direction perpendicular to the travelling direction. The guiding elements 19 have a trapezoidal cross section and are rigidly mounted at the front housing.
FIG. 3 of WO 00/16607 A1 shows a holder for carrying a roll 4 of film material 3. The roll 4 is kept between two conical bearings 25, cf. p. 12. The roll 4 is kept in a vertical position, i.e. the axis of the roll 4 is vertical. The lower conical bearing 25 is kept by a lower support arm 18. An upper support arm 21 carries the upper conical bearing 25. Both support arms 18, 21 are mounted at a support member 17. A gusset plate 23 reinforces the mounting of the upper support arm 21 at the support member 17. A spring 30 biases a spigot 22 carrying the upper conical bearing 25 downwards towards the lower conical bearing 25.